Qatar National Tourism Council established

Sunday, 4 November 2018, State of Qatar: As per Emiri decree No 74 of 2018 His Highness The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, established the National Tourism Council (NTC) replacing Qatar Tourism Authority.

The country’s National Tourism Council shall endeavour to accomplishing the “best conditions for the implementation of the national strategy for tourism and its subsidiary programmes, in order to promote comprehensive development plans for tourism sector and organise and promote them internally and externally”.

Likewise it will aim at ameliorating tourist experiences in the country, and thereby show the civilisational, cultural, artistic and tourist features of Qatar. The Council is meant to adopt the State’s general policy regarding to tourism and supervise all aspects of tourist activity.

The Emiri Cabinet on the same topic approved a draft law on Tourism Regulation which defined the “tourist area as any area in the territory of the country that has attractive, archaeological, historical or natural features”; the appropriate coordinates shall be determined by a decision of the Council of Ministers.

NTC shall enjoy a legal identity as well as a budget to be attached to the general budget of the State. It shall belong to the Cabinet and have its headquarters within the country, however, may have offices outside the State. The new law abrogates Qatar Tourism Authority and the government committee to co-ordinate conferences and events. All functions of these entities shall be allocated to the new council.

National Tourism Council’s board shall be The Prime Minister, with the Minister of Finance as vice-chairman. Other members include, the Minister of Culture and Sports, the Minister of Transport and Communications, the Minister of Economy and Commerce, CEO of Qatar Airways Group, Director of the Government Communications Office, the Chairman of Katara Hospitality and two representatives from the private tourism sector, selected by the chairman of the board of directors.